


Decisions and Changes

by moonlight_petal



Series: We are family verse [6]
Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Family Feels, Gen, Jack is a good partner, James MacGyver (MacGyver TV 2016) Being an Asshole, James meets David, Mac is a good dad, Mac isn't happy, Mac takes a stand, Matty is badass, Team as Family, changes, confused Mac, kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-17
Updated: 2019-05-17
Packaged: 2020-03-06 21:29:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18859471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonlight_petal/pseuds/moonlight_petal
Summary: Mac and David get a surprise visitor whose appearance answers a few questions and leads to more decisions.





	Decisions and Changes

**Author's Note:**

> So, here's the new part. Back home again and happy enough to write again.  
> And as unhappy as I have been with the season finale it certainly did give me the inspiration to write ass!James again.
> 
> Funny enough this turned out differently than planned but has the feeling I wanted from the start. I hope you'll like it.

** Decisions and Changes **

 

Mac chuckled softly under his breath when his son's head turned up and his eyes widened at the sound of the door bell, a wide, hopeful smile on his lips that showed off the few teeth he had grown by now.

 

"Sorry to disappoint you, buddy but the others aren't due back until tonight, it's not them I'm afraid. Besides neither of them would ring the bell, they would just come in." he leaned down to gather the small boy in his arms.

 

He was a little confused himself, he hadn't ordered anything that would explain the visitor. Bozer hadn't mentioned about ordering anything and it's not like they got that many guests usually.

 

"Let's see who's at the door, shall we?" Mac grinned, brushing his lips over David's blond hair, cradling him against his chest and opened the door.

 

"I'm sorry we're not buy-" Mac stopped mid-sentence, frozen to the spot and tensing at the sight in front of him. He hadn't seen the man in over fifteen years but Mac would recognize him even if it had been fifty instead. "Dad?!"

 

"Hello Angus!" the grey haired man, James MacGyver, said holding Mac's gaze for a moment before zeroing in on David. "And you must be David." he added gently, leaning a little closer to the baby.

 

The little boy stared up at the unfamiliar person for a second, then turned his head away and against Mac's shoulder, whimpering softly. He generally was a little shy around strangers but the baby obviously picked up on the tension of his dad in reaction to the stranger, which made him anxious aswell.

 

"Yes, this is David... Dad, what are you doing here? How? Why now? What is going on?" Mac's voice sounded a little rough from the emotions warring in him.

 

"I wanted to finally meet my grandson in person, I'm sure that's not a crime, is it? Are you not going to invite your father inside?" James offered in response as if it was the simplest thing in the world. As if he had been away only for a few days and not several years.

 

Mac was startled by the developments enough to step aside and let the man enter, whispering soothing noises in David's ear on autopilot.

 

James had walked into the living area, taking in the space curiously even though he knew the room well enough. Mac couldn't help himself but notice how out of place his father seemed to be in the room despite it being the house of his own father.

 

"Well this is a surprise to say the least. Dad, would you please tell me what's going on? Where have you been? Why are you here now? How did you know about David?" the blond entertained for a second putting David down for a nap while he dealt with his own father but the way his small baby boy had curled his fists into his shirt, Mac knew that any attempt would lead to a major breakdown. So he kept him close and just dropped on the sofa himself.

 

"Well... that's a long story that boils down to I haven't actually been gone that far away, Angus. Back then, I left because of work, because of my commitments but also because I missed your mother so much and looking at you everyday made it worse all the more. I couldn't handle it anymore, so I left before I might do something that I'd regret. But I never really went that far away. I've watched over you all these years, nudging you in the right direction, making sure you're as protected as you could be. Dalton might not have been my first choice, admittedly not even my second, but it turned out he was the best for you. Everything went well until the whole Thornton debacle which is apparently when I lost track of you for a while and the result of that lapse is currently cradled in your arms. I'm sorry about that, Angus, that's not what I had in mind for you at all but in true MacGyver fashion you managed to make the best of a bad situation." James said, taking the chair next to his son.

 

Mac blinked in confusion, trying to understand everything his father just said. Finally he shook his head.

"If you thought that this explained anything? Well it doesn't really but there is quite a bit wrong with what you just said in my opinion. Most importantly, you make it sound like David's a mistake that ruined whatever might have been in my future and that's something I can't let stand. He might not have been planned in any way, especially since Nikki and I hadn't even been together anymore at that point. He might have been unexpected, but never a mistake. On the contrary, this little boy might just be the best thing that's ever happened to me. Sure, I expected my work at the Phoenix to go differently, I might even miss going in the field myself at times but I made a conscious choice against being a full field agent and for my son and I didn't regret that for a second."

 

Mac's gaze had hardened while he spoke because a few details his father had mentioned had clicked into place in his head in the meantime.

"And how exactly did you even know about any of this? Nikki, Thornton and Jack?" he held up a hand when James opened his mouth to say something. "No, you had your explanation, let me take a guess... well not really a guess but an extrapolation of what you just said. There is only one way you could know about any of this, you're Oversight." Mac ended, staring at the older man in shock and realisation when his face already confirmed his words.

 

"I'm right, aren't I? All these years you've been what, three rooms away and you haven't seen fit to show your face to your son even once? Knowing that I've been looking for you all over the world. Choosing to play with me and my life as if I was a puppet instead? What the hell, dad? And all that because you couldn't bear looking at me anymore after mom died because I looked like her? That's messed up, I was a child back then, do you even realise how much that hurt? How many times I've asked myself what I did wrong to make you leave? And now you suddenly turn up at my door because of David? Who's been around for over a year already by now but you know that of course. I probably should be happy if it wasn't for *my* son, you would just have continued with you schemes from the shadows, right?"

 

At some point during his rant Mac had gotten back on his feet, had started pacing around the living room in an unconscious effort to drain some of the tension from his body to keep his son calm.

 

"Angus... you think it's been easy for me? I admit leaving back than without a word might not have been the smartest move I've ever made but I always made sure you're properly cared for. Your grandfather kept me updated on everything you did. I never meant for you to doubt yourself like that. I thought you're smart enough to understand that it wasn't something you did, that prompted me to leave." James tried to explain himself more, tried to make it better somehow.

 

"Granddad knew where you are? He talked to you? Wait a minute, you thought 'I was smart enough'? Dad, I was ten years old and from one day to the next my own father left without even saying goodbye, on my birthday even. How could you even think for a second that I *wouldn't* doubt myself? That I wouldn't convince myself that I'm apparently not worth sticking around for? Next to Bozer, Jack has been the first person to actively try to convince me from the opposite and now you tell me, all this has been a lie as well?" Mac had tears in his eyes at this point and he was shaking in anger and only David's soft whimper of "Dada", brought him out of his head enough to at least try to get a grip on himself.

 

"Dada's fine, buddy. Don't you worry!" he murmured and pressed a gentle kiss to the top of David's head again before he gently went to put him in his play pen, carefully handing him his favourite stuffed dog and starting the music box. David didn't like it exactly but Mac got lucky and his son didn't start crying immediately.

 

"Son, you have to know that this wasn't what I intended. All I did was because I wanted to protect you and make sure you'll have a good life." James had gotten to his feet as well.

 

Hands now free, Mac held both of them out in front of himself, keeping his father at a distance.

"Save it, father. Excuses and intentions, that's all crap. If you truly had wanted to protect me and make sure I'll have a good life, you would have *stayed*. You would have put your own stuff aside and would have been there for me, you would have been a father to me. You should have chosen me but you decided to leave me behind. So why did you really decide to show yourself now?"

 

James swallowed hard. He hadn't expected his son to be as furious as he obviously was. He had imagined this meeting quite differently. He slightly shook his head at himself. He really should have known better, Angus had a habit of surprising him after all.

 

He slightly tilted his head to the side, eyes on the baby in the play pen who was sucking on one ear of the stuffed dog again, his startling blue eyes, so similar to Angus' own, never straying from his father's figure though.

 

"I told you, I wanted to finally meet my grandson..." James said turning his gaze back to Angus.

 

Mac's expression had turned from furious to cold in the blink of an eye.

"No." he shook his head.

 

"What do you mean 'no', Angus?" James asked, curious now and a little bit anxious really. "It's the truth!"

 

"I mean 'no'. David is *not* your grandson, he's Jack's and for that he's damn lucky like that. You might be my father on paper but you chose to exchange your rights as a real father for the job, to become a puppet master in the shadows. And with that you also gave up any claim on the 'grandfather' title as well. You see, being a father and grandfather means actually being present in my life and in David's. You haven't been in mine and I do not trust you in David's. Especially not after you basically called him a mistake before. Jack's been more of a father figure for me than you've ever been and he's an amazing grandfather for David and I fully intend on keeping it that way. And now I suggest you leave me house." Mac pointed in the direction of his front door. "And another thing, as soon as my family is back home, I will have a talk with them but one thing I know for sure, I certainly can't continue working at the Phoenix while you're there. Think about it because if I know my family just half as well as I think I do, you better have a plan B or you'll have to replace a whole team soon enough."

 

"Angus, you can't be serious. Think about it. You're throwing away your whole life. You already gave up field work although I know you loved it, are you sure you want to give up everything else as well? You won't be able to work for any other agency around if you really quit." James shot back, his expression hardened as well.

 

"That's where you're wrong, father. That's where you've always been wrong! It's not a matter of giving up anything, it's a matter of choosing my son over everything else. But you obviously can't understand that! And now, you know where the door is!" Mac turned towards his son, gently picking him up again.

 

He didn't give in to his grief until he heard the front door click shut after the elder MacGyver's exit.

 

 

~*~

 

The young father went through the motions of taking care of David for the remaining afternoon, distracted by what had happened before. He noticed that his son seemed a little more clingy than usual but that was perfectly fine by Mac because, truth be told, he needed the closeness as well, suspected even that David's attachment might be a direct result of what he was feeling himself. Ma Dalton had told him after all that babys were very sensitive to the moods of their parents.

 

Together they waited for the arrival of their family. The moment Mac's ears picked up on the distinct sound of a key being pushed into the lock, it felt like a tight knot in his stomach dissolved, the voices of Bozer, Riley and Jack a balm to his torn soul. And David? His little boy, who had been dozing some in his arms after his afternoon snack, perked up instantly, working hard at getting on his feet on Mac's lap to be able to look over his father's shoulder at the door, squealing happily when he saw the others.

 

"Hehe, someone's happy to see us... hey little buddy! Hey Mac!" Bozer grinned, throwing his go-bag next to the door in favour of heading in David's direction.

 

"Hey all of you... glad to have you back again, how was the flight?" the blond man got to his feet, handing over his son to Bozer with a fond smile.

 

"Fine... long... I'm glad to be back, my feet are killing me..." Riley groaned, kicking off her shoes and falling on one of the chairs. "Have I mentioned before that I'm seriously starting to hate missions that require high heels?"

 

"Not recently, no. Can't say I envy you though, they *do* look mighty uncomfortable." Jack mused, watching David and Bozer for a second before his gaze drifted to his partner, studying him with a raised eyebrow. "You alright, bud? You seem a little... off, for lack of a better word."

 

Mac sighed inwardly, trust Jack to notice everything. Not for the first time since James' visit he wondered how he was supposed to break the news to them after all of them had used quite a bit of energy to help him with his search for his father before David came around.

 

"Peachy... just peachy... you'll never guess what happened this morning..." Mac replied a little hesitantly.

 

"What, did my favourite grandson say another word? Or did he start walking for real now?" Jack took the bait, hoping against hope that it had been a nice surprise after all. The thing was however, that he knew Mac well, in some aspects maybe even better than himself and his kid looked troubled, tense and there was a level of hurt in his eyes Jack hadn't seen anymore since the day they had thought Nikki had betrayed them all. Not even with Thornton's betrayal it had run this deep. And that was deeply concerning to the older man.

 

"Far from it... trust me, if it had been something like that, I'd have recorded it and sent it to you... but no, nothing as... enjoyable... No, we had an unexpected visitor this morning. My father was here." Mac said, a slight edge to his voice the only indicator that whatever had happened, hadn't been what he had imagined.

 

The news however hit the other three like a lighting bolt.

"What?" they said in unison, staring at the blond in varying degrees of shock.

 

"You heared me, my father appeared out of the blue to 'finally meet his grandson'. But that's not even the real kicker... after all these years of wondering and looking for him, he now told me now that he's been around all this time, pulling the strings behind my back, using me like a fu..." Mac stopped himself in his rant just in time to catch the curse. "... like a puppet. He's Oversight!" he ended, clenching his fists tightly when he noticed his own trembling fingers.

 

All three of his team and family looked dumbstruck by the news, although after the initial surprise, Mac saw a burning fury growing in Jack's eyes which warmed the blond's heart. Jack's propensity to do everything for his partner, to feel royally pissed off at everyone who dared to hurt him, it was what had righted Mac's view on family before, made him believe again that some people wanted him around for *his* sake and not for what he could do for them.

 

"You've got to be kidding me! And he never even considered coming around earlier?" the older all but growled.

 

The sudden shift in the older man's mood made David in Bozer's arms frown and squirm so much until he was handed over to Jack, a softly whined 'Papa' muffled against Jack's chest.

 

Jack took a calming, deep breath and smiled down at the baby.

"Sorry munchkin, it's all good, I promise!" he murmured, gently rocking the boy in his arms before he looked back at Mac.

 

"Seriously though, why now?" he wanted to know.

 

"My guess is as good as yours, all the explanation I got was that he wanted to meed David. Why now of all times? No idea..." Mac said, sitting down on the couch again, suddenly exhausted.

 

"Mmh... if your dad is Oversight, wouldn't that mean that Matty knew about this all along?" Riley finally asked, cautiously.

 

"I suppose so, it's hardly possible that she didn't, to be honest. It does explain her strange avoidance on the topic... but after meeting him today, I bet he made her promise to keep it a secret from me, I can't really blame her, now can I? I mean her whole career was in his hands..." Mac sighed, voicing out loud what he had been thinking about during the afternoon already. "Speaking of, did she mention if she's coming around later too?"

 

"She did but there were a few things at the office she had to take care of before... I do agree with you though, bro. If there had been any way to tell you, Matty would have shared the information with you immediately." Bozer replied to Mac's question while rummaging around the kitchen and preparing some coffee for them all.

 

"So, what do you want to do now, bud?" Jack asked the question they all wanted the answer to.

 

"That's actually what I wanted to talk to all of you about later, so can we wait until Matty gets around, please?" Mac sighed, roughly dragging a hand through his blond locks.

 

"Of course, Mac, whatever you want..." Riley said softly, speaking for all of them, laying a hand on Mac's knee in silent support. She caught Jack's eye over the back of the couch, quickly understanding what the older was telling her without a word.

 

Jack sensed that there was something more about the whole scenario that Mac was trying to hide still. Riley took David from his arms and he clapped Mac's shoulder.

"Come on, kid, let's get some fresh air..." he said and went ahead on the deck, knowing that the blond would follow sooner or later.

 

Mac hesitated for a second, pressing a quick kiss on David's hair when he passed Riley before he followed Jack outside.

 

The older man stood at the rail looking out over the city.

"So... your old man is our boss, huh? How are you doing with that, bud?"

 

Mac let go of a deep breath.

"I don't? I just... I can't wrap my head around that... how can he do something like this? All these years... he said he left because I reminded him too much of my mother but that he kept an eye on me, nudging me into the 'right' direction from the background. The thing is, that's bullshit, isn't it? All he did was manipulate me and my life the way he wanted it, that has zero to do with the 'right direction' or protecting me! You... he said *he* chose you as my Overwatch, not that he had been happy with the decision, he made sure I knew that you weren't his first choice... Everything I did, everything I accomplished has this bitter taste to it now... the only thing that hasn't been in his plans at all, was David. He basically called him a mistake, a stone in the path of my future... or, well his idea of my future..." Mac ranted silently, confusion and hurt evident in his slightly wavering voice. "And yet he has the gall to come here, out of nowhere, because he wanted to meet his 'grandson'? Not on my watch..."

 

Jack listened carefully, watching Mac from the corner of his eye. His kid had his arms pulled tightly around himself, knuckles white where he clenched them into his upper arms. That *had* to hurt and that's something Jack couldn't let happen.

 

Gently he turned the blond towards him, carefully disentangling his fingers before he pulled Mac into a fierce hug.

"I'm sorry buddy. All this isn't right, it's not what a father should do, it's ridiculous and you deserve so much more. But don't let him invalidate everything you did. He might say he pulled the strings from the background but what was he really able to accomplish with that. You still made your own decisions, Mac. Dropping out of MIT and enlisting? That was all you! Becoming an EOD tech? That was you! He maybe have had a hand in where you got sent but that certainly was the extend of it. Your CO definitely didn't choose you because someone pulled some strings, he chose you because he saw your potential. Your father said he chose me as your Overwatch? Well, I do remember that a little differently and even if... you and me? What we built together, that's us, Mac! That's purely us. And just for the record? I'm proud that I wasn't his first choice! Understood? Whatever he said, when it comes down to it, you're your own person and David, this beautiful, little angel in there, is the best proof of that, kid! That's no mistake and anyone who says something like this, deserves a really good kicking!"

 

Mac was silent for a little bit, just soaking in the comforting warmth of his friend and partner, thinking through what he had said. Jack's arguments were good and finally he was able to at least lay to rest some of the uncertainties in his mind that his father's appearance had planted there.

 

"Thanks Jack! Seriously!" Mac murmured.

 

The older pushed Mac back a little to be able to look him in the eyes.

"You don't have to ever thank me for stating the truth, kid! You are an amazing and brilliant human being and an even better father! Don't let anyone tell you differently." Jack said, his voice dripping with honesty.

 

"Thanks anyway, Jack! And for the record, I told him loud and clear that he's not David's grandfather, no matter what the papers and the bloodwork might say. You are and you always will be David's grandfather because when it comes down to it, you've filled all the spaces my dad had left empty and then some."

 

Jack was speechless and emotional at Mac's admission. It had been Jack who had initially pushed Mac to start looking for his father, had been the driving force in his quest to reconnect with the man but now he was glad Mac was strong enough to take a stand against the man who failed him so many times before. Jack couldn't have imagined this outcome, couldn't imagine that a father could seriously walk out on a brilliant kid like Mac like that.

 

"Thanks, kiddo! And I promise you, just like I vowed to protect you, I will always do the same for David!" he murmured, pulling Mac back into the hug.

 

They stood like that for a little while when Bozer quietly knocked at the doorframe.

"Guys, not to interrupt this moment of bromantic bonding but Matty just arrived."

 

Mac disentangled from Jack's embrace and looked at his friend.

"Thanks Boze, we'll be inside in a second."

 

The older watched his partner carefully.  
"You alright, Mac?" Matty had kept vital information from them all after all and Jack would take his cues as to how to handle this situation from Mac himself since he had been the most affected by that.

 

"Yeah fine, Jack... let's get inside!"

 

~*~

 

It was obvious that Matty already knew about what had happened earlier that day, most likely after a run in with Oversight himself at the office.

She immediately came up to Mac and beckoned him into a hug herself.

"I'm sorry, Mac. I really wanted to tell you, I tried to give you hints about this, tried to warn you really..."

 

"It's not your fault, Matty. I know you would have if you could've told me, I don't blame you for the way my father is." Mac made sure to let her know before he straightened back up to his full height.

 

Gently he took David back into his arms who already started to become sleepy in Riley's hold.

 

"Okay, now that we're all together. After the revelation about my father being our boss this morning, I already told him that I couldn't and wouldn't work for him anymore. I refuse to continue to be his puppet. I told him basically it's me or him. Now, I won't talk you into anything here..." the blond started.

 

"Let me stop you right there, partner. You go kaboom, I go kaboom, remember? Literally *and* figuratively. If you quit, I'm with you on this!" Jack stated, already sensing where this conversation was going.

 

"Yeah, me too!" Bozer said. "Hell if it wasn't for you I wouldn't even have this job. I mean, I do enjoy this whole agent business but not without you, bro!"

 

"What they said, obviously!" Riley nodded.

 

All of them turned to Matty who looked from one to the other until she came back to Mac.

"I warned him that this would come and bite him in the ass. I have honestly no idea what the future might entail but if that's the general consent, I'm with you all. When I took the job as Director of the Phoenix I never had imagined it but we became more than just a team and I can't see the Phoenix without all of you."

 

A tight, small smile played over Mac's lips. After all that's exactly what he had anticipated to happen. He knew he really should try to change their minds, the work they did made a real difference after all but he was just too happy that they had his back like that.

 

"That being said, I request a few days from all of you before you quit. As you probably guessed, I already ran into Oversight at the office before I got here and during our short argument, I warned him that this is exactly what would happen. As did Mac from what I gathered during that conversation." she smirked at the blond. "I reminded him that he made me Director of the Phoenix to lead and protect the agency and in that capacity it's my duty not only to protect it from the outside but from the inside as well. Losing our whole team would significantly damage the agency and if it comes down to it, protecting the Phoenix is more important than him. Let's give him some time to chew on that. If he makes the smart decision, he'll make sure to keep the team at the agency." she informed them with a grin.

 

Bozer let go of a whistle at this news.

"Go boss, that's badass!"

 

"I had no doubt that we can count on you, Matty!" Jack smirked and winked at the small woman, accompanied by a rather sloppy salute.

 

"So what... we give him a day or two to decide that he better quits his own job instead?" Riley asked, seriously impressed at the courage Matty had shown.

 

"That's essentially what it comes down to, yes Riley. That's why I suggest we wait until the end of the week for him to come to a decision."

 

"Thank you, Matty!" Mac smiled, gently rubbing David's back as the little one fell asleep.

 

"You're welcome, Mac. But in the end, I'm really just doing my job!" she nodded at him. The irony that it's the job James MacGyver had given her, definitely wasn't lost on anyone in the room.

 

~*~

 

In the end, Matty's strong stand did pay off. There had been a couple of other people involved but essentially, James MacGyver stepped down from his position as Oversight, choosing to go off on a personal mission. Partly Matty took over his job, while Mac and Jack would get a bit more involved in mission related questions and planning.

 

Not all that many people at the Phoenix noticed the change actually since only few knew the old Oversight and everyone else liked and respected Matty and her team.


End file.
